After 26 seasons under the guidance of the legendary Carey Green, Liberty Women’s Basketball turns the page as longtime assistant Alexis Sherard steps into the spotlight.
Green finishes with over 500 wins and two decades of dominance in the Big South before helping lead the program through the transition first to the ASUN and more recently into Conference USA. He finished his Liberty career with a record of 591-240 while leading the Lady Flames to the Big South Championship and NCAA Tournament in each of his first 10 seasons including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2005. He won 31 conference titles in his 26 seasons (15 regular season, 16 conference tournament) and coached the Flames to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and four Postseason WNIT bids. Green ended his career on top after leading Liberty to the 2025 CUSA regular season and tournament title this past season.
“Coach Green has not only built a championship caliber program, but he’s done it with integrity consistency and a deep faith has touched everyone who has come through the program, myself included,” Sherard said as part of his opening statement in his introductory press conference earlier this week. “Coach has been a mentor, leader, and example of what it truly means to pour into the lives of student-athletes. I’m incredibly grateful for his trust, his friendship, and unwavering belief in what Liberty women’s basketball could be and has become.”
Green concludes his career as Liberty’s winningest coach regardless of sport
Sherard inherits a program that was elevated by Green to a formidable one around the country at the mid-major level. Entering his 19th season on staff with the Lady Flames, he becomes the seventh head coach in Liberty women’s basketball history. He spent the last 18 seasons as part of Green’s coaching staff (10 as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator and eight as associate head coach). He also has some experience sitting in the lead char as he filled in as acting head coach on several occasions during his time at Liberty, guiding the Lady Flames to a 6-0 record during part of the 2020-21 season when Green was sidelined by health issues.
“It’s truly an honor to stand before you as the new head coach of Liberty women’s basketball,” Sherard said as part of his opening statement in his introductory press conference earlier this week. “This is not just a professional milestone, it’s a personal one. Liberty has been my home for the past 20 years. I’m incredibly thankful to President Costin, Ian McCaw, Erin Hagen, and our entire administration for their belief in me and this program.”
Sherard has spent more than three decades coaching in college basketball, beginning on the men’s side. He first came to Liberty and Lynchburg prior to the 2005-06 season where he served as an assistant for the men’s basketball team for two seasons before joining Green’s staff.
Sherard’s promotion reflects both loyalty to the program and confidence in continuity. The internal hire ensures program stability. He, and much of his staff that will remain, have intense familiarity with Liberty’s values, culture and expectations. Green also has been grooming Sherard for the past several years to be ready to step into this role at this time.
The press conference is over and now the real work begins for Sherard as he looks to lead this program forward while maintaining the same level of success this program has come to know.
“My vision is clear – building champions for Christ,” Sherard said. “We are built on a strong foundation of excellence, integrity, and relentless pursuit of growth. Liberty women’s basketball will be a program where our student-athletes strive on the court, in the classroom, and in their personal spiritual development. We will compete with passion. We will play with discipline, and we will carry ourselves with honor in a way that honors the University’s mission and values. My goal is not just to win games, but to develop winners in life. I know this program means a lot to our community, our alumni, and our fans, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. I am fully committed to continuing the tradition of family, faith, and fierce competitiveness that defines Liberty women’s basketball.”
Avery Mills and Emmy Stout are entering their second year in the program. The talented inside-outside duo will be who Sherard is able to lean on in the early stages of the season and his career. The Alexis Sherard era will begin with an exhibition at Liberty Arena on Oct. 26 against North Carolina A&T. On Nov. 4, the Lady Flames host Frostburg State in the regular season opener.
“Coach Green has had an unbelievable formula,” Sherard stated. “I’m not here to reinvent the wheel. I’m just here to continue and add my own little spin, my own little wrinkle here and there. We’ve always been a pretty passionate team, a defensive-oriented team. We probably will be a little faster. I may pick up the tempo with regards to offensive system. Overall, we’re going to play inside-out, which we’ve done for years. Coach Green has had success over the years playing inside-out.”
As Liberty turns the page on arguably the most successful coaching eras in its athletic history, the program does so with confidence in a leader who has been there every step of the way. Alexis Sherard isn’t just inheriting a legacy – he’s continuing it. With deep roots in the program and a vision for its future, Sherard steps into the spotlight prepared to guide Liberty through a new era in Conference USA and beyond. With Sherard at the helm, Liberty’s foundation remains strong – and the next chapter is ready to be written.